Conventionally, this type of fishing reel is called a double-bearing reel and is hitherto well-known. Generally, this kind of reel provides the clutch mechanism and clutch operating mechanism having a clutch control plate. The clutch control plate moves forwardly to disengage the clutch mechanism to make the spool shaft freely rotatable to permit casting, and moves backward to engage the clutch mechanism, thereby transmitting a driving force from the handle to the spool shaft through the clutch mechansim and drive mechanism to wind up the line onto the spool. The drive mechanism is provided with a drag mechanism having friction plates on the handle shaft and a stopper gear engageable with a stopper pivoted to the frame is provided on the handle shaft. The drag mechanism, when the clutch mechanism engages, makes the spool slidably rotatable in the reverse direction under the predetermined rotational resistance. Thus tension acting on the line when wound, allows the spool to slidably rotate in the reverse direction at the predetermined rotational resistance, whereby the line is gradually drawn from the spool under the aforesaid rotational resistance. Also, the stopper engages with the stopper gear to impede the reverse rotation of the handle shaft so as to avoid reverse rotation of the handle when the line is drawn out.
When a large hooked fish applies a large tension to the line and the drag mechanism in the reel is constructed as foregoing, the friction plate slides at the drag mechanism, even when the drag mechanisms adjusted to its largest drag, to thereby allow the spool to slidably rotate in the reverse direction. Thus, an angler intending to reel in the hooked fish with a continuous stroke, cannot do so by virture of the action of drag mechanism.